It is a quarter before 6:00 in the morning of August 19, 2006. The air still feel cold but humid, clusters of thick cumulus clouds are scattered above the sky and the sun had just risen to light up the whole city. It is the perfect day for a quiet Saturday morning jog in the park. But this side of the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City is already filled with activities; Quezon City Police setting up road closures,
utilities assembling tents and stage and organizers setting up registration booth; everybody is busy and excited with the kick-off of one of the major cycling tournament in the country, the 4TH Cycling search invitational 2006-2007 season.
The side street of the Quezon City Circle is a sight of brightly-colored jerseys representing cycling teams from the different parts of Luzon, mostly Metro Manila, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac City, Pampanga, Batangas, Pangasinan and from as far as Vigan Ilocos Sur and Baguio City. From every corners are riders getting ready for the competition that is barely two hours away, some are oiling their chains, others are tuning their breaks and wheels while discussing team strategies while other riders are warming up in the two-lane cycling course which has been closed to traffic for the day's event. Near the start/finish line, the organizing committee and secretariat from Treo Sales Management Corporation are equally pre-occupied with listing more than 300 participants, categorizing them in the Elite Men and Women ( riders 35 years old below), Masters (riders aged 36 above) and Pro ( riders aged 21-35 who have been part of major national and international competition. Local biking enthusiast has also arrived for the People's Race, held solely for riders of the events location. The competitive spirit prevails once more as riders' sets their mind and their gears for the grand title as the Cycling Search Invitational 2006-2007 Season gets bigger and better.
Commonly known as CSI among regular riders and coaches, this year's criterium race coincides with the celebration of the Araw ng Lungsod Quezon. The initial leg will also be called as the First Mayor Sonny Belmonte Cycling Cup in honor of the good mayor of Quezon City who is in full support, along with the city council, sending in ambulances, tents, police mobiles and medical assistance in the events venue.
Starting Line
In a country where people are either basketball or boxing fans, it is very unlikely that private organizers would invest in a sport which is limited to only a certain set of crowd and is not actually very attractive to sponsors. But the management of Treo Sales and Management Corporation together with Mr. Louie Carlos, Assistant Post Master General of Philippine Postal Corporation, main presenter of the CSI, have high hopes for Filipino cyclists. Mr. Carlos, former director of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, PAGCOR, was also the manager of the PAGCOR Continental Team, composed of the fastest veteran skippers in the country. According to Mr. Carlos, he believes that skippers from the Philippines have good chances in international competitions, especially Asian Cycling Tours since our athletes have better endurance, speed and strength that matches those of the other Asian riders as well as Caucasian pedal pushers. This has been proven many a times with the various victories of the PAGCOR Continental Team in Asia. Mr. Carlos also added that Filipinos can be world class riders given the proper training and discipline essential to every sport.
Cycling Search Invitational is originally a three-leg event held in November of 2003. The first season started in only three locations in Luzon namely Manila, Tarlac and Vigan strongly back-up by the local government of each venues. Funds were limited and sponsors are few, but the organizers and the Philippine Postal Corporation are determined to raise the level of the cycling sports in the country. Then in 2004, Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija, famed hometown of some of the country's best skippers, agreed to be added in the list of venues. In the most recent tournament, Marikina City and Clark Pampanga also provided respective locations for the Cycling Search Invitational, expanding the coverage of the event into five legs and encouraging more riders to join. This success has been attributed with the continuing collaboration between the organizers, different cycling organizations and the local government units who shares the common goal of uplifting the cycling sport in the country.
The 4th Season of CSI goes nationwide this year, with 10 legs set in different locations in the Philippines including Quezon City, Malolos Bulacan, Tagaytay City, Vigan Ilocos Sur, Filinvest Alabang, Tarlac City, San Fernando Pampanga, Baguio City Benguet, Dagupan City and Cebu City. But despite the increasing cost of the project, Mr. Carlos is steadfast in his aim of bringing the biking race to a wider and higher level not just to promote the sports to a wider number of Filipinos but to encourage more people to participate in cycling events. He also plans to expand the race even to other parts of Visayas and Mindanao.
